Assassinating Shakespeare: The True Confessions of a Bard in the Bush
Work your way around Africa putting on one-man Shakespeare performances? It's the type of escapade that could only have sprung from the restless, feverish mind of the young Thomas Goltz, then a naive twenty-one-year-old in 1976 looking for adventure and an errant brother. Goltz is now an acclaimed author and journalist who has reported extensively on the upheavals of the post-Soviet Caucasus, and this impulsive trip of his youth saw him wandering through the cities and villages of east, central, and southern Africa. His first port of call after hitchhiking through Eastern Europe and the Middle East is Ethiopia, where he is greeted by a civil war in full flame. Close encounters follow with bandits, guerrillas, missionaries, prostitutes, savvy street kids, bureaucrats, unrequited loves, and, of course, ordinary, Shakespeare-loving Africans.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0863567185
ISBN13:9780863567186
Release Date:November 2006
Publisher:Saqi Books
Length:253 Pages
Weight:0.76 lbs.
Dimensions:0.5" x 5.4" x 8.2"
Customer Reviews
3 ratings
Even the Bard Had to Set the Stage
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 15 years ago
Like many of the books I've come to love, this one didn't grab me right away. It often seems that many great books need 50+ pages to get the situation set up just right, but us modern readers are usually wanting a pounding heart rate after 10. For me, it took a little extra effort to get past the point where I was hooked, but the reward -- that being a book I couldn't put down until I finished it -- was worth it. But please note: in saying that it took me longer, I am NOT saying 1) that you will need as much time, and 2) that the author did anything wrong. (Once I hit the point where I HAD to keep reading, the importance of the earlier material became quite obvious.)
Hilarious
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 16 years ago
Did you ever know a guy who seemed able to talk himself into or out of any situation? Goltz is that guy, but even so, how he survived this serious of (mis)adventures remains a mystery for the ages. Lucky for us that he did, as we get to enjoy this hilarious travelogue-gone-bad in the wild world of 1970's Africa. Full of bizarre characters and spot-on observations on human nature. I got this as a gift a few years back, finally picked it up recently and found it's a real gem.
Out, Out Brief Candle
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 17 years ago
"Life is but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard of no more", (William Shakespeare). Thomas Goltz certainly knows how to strut, but my suspicion is he doesn't fret much, and we'll be hearing plenty more from Mr. Goltz. A very enjoyable read.
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